A privately contracted firefighting pilot was killed after their helicopter crashed in Fresno County on Wednesday, sparking another brush fire as it did so. The Bell UH-1 helicopter was on a water-dropping mission for the 1,500-acre Hills Fire when it crashed about nine miles south of Coalinga, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Federal Aviation Administration said. The pilot hasn’t been identified. The crash sparked a new brush fire that has grown to about 50 acres and is spreading toward the existing Hills Fire, officials said. Multiple fires have been raging out of control in Northern California’s coastal mountains. Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said: “We take extreme measures to ensure the safety of our firefighters and of course our contractors, so when an accident occurs, it just reminds us of just how dangerous this mission is.”
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